“The future starts today, not tomorrow.” – Pope John Paul II
I have seen enough love pass me by to say enough is enough. What are we afraid of? As we sit back in our safety net and shield ourselves from the perils of life, the only certainty that follows is the closer we get to death.
How many friendships have been lost because someone felt the other may want more and they were afraid to confront the situation?
How many relationships failed because of the fear of falling in love?
How many dreams unfulfilled because of the possibility of failure?
How many passions unrealized because we guard against risk?
Life is moving forward second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour. How cliche is it to say “life is short” or “live each day as if it is your last”. For most, waited words either on ourselves or others. We don’t live each day with “purpose”. We live each day in comfort by going to work, saving our money, living within our means and hopefully retiring with enough money to live out our lives.
As a child, we are not awakened to the realities of adulthood. The greatest gift our parents can give us is allowing us to dream without limitations. We see a universe that never ends, buildings we can leap over and fantasies of heroism and romance.
We tell our children we love them each and every night before they go to bed, but not often enough to our life partner. Children will get on a bike or skateboard, fall and get up again until they master the art of the ride? How many of us change our commute to work..ever? Children want to be the greatest in the world. Adults want to live through the week so they can go fishing?
Are you seeing the issue here?
We are fragile beings who truly can see life reach a bitter end with one mistake, one error of judgement, one unfortunate twist of fate. We are the most delicate beings woven into a complex machine with one unique feature that sets us apart, the ability of rational thought. We are gifted with the minds to dream and achieve.
Nothing brings people together and forces them to re-evaluate their lives more than tragedy. It is this phenomenon that presses our invisible reset button and for a moment, just a moment puts us in a place to look at life’s path and determine if it is the right course. That moment fleets away very quickly and we slip back into the routine that we have grown to be so comfortable and safe with. It is comfort and routine that we embrace, not risk and uncertainty. How ironic, for the true dreamers, the immortal legends, the pioneers ignite their inner child to achieve the impossible by taking risk.
I can’t tell you how to lead your life or judge whether what you do is right or wrong. All I can do is this; remind you of who you are and what you are capable of. Do not sit back and let this gift of life pass you by. It is a gift, a wonderful exciting gift.
You are born with an unshaped legacy that only you can mold and sculpt and thus become an immortal soul.
We never have yesterday or tomorrow; only this moment.
“Cut up by the passion of a field that nurtured the young child to a beautiful blossoming lady
Never to return to the home that feed her senses with innocent awakening
Now the meadow lies still, alone with only the memories of that lady with the cherub smile whisking away in the wind.”
Time changes all of us. We are and will always be a product of our surroundings. The lessons taught by our parents, our religion, friends, home town, region, news, teachers and even the imaginary friends we create. As a sponge, we soak in all things, good and bad and through the eyes of innocence, we often as children are unable to filter the information.
What ultimately gives the child a fighting chance to become the adult of virtue?
The beauty of a child is simplicity and wholesomeness. The daughter of a close friend of mine still tells her mother I am the “bestest and she should marry me” Who could argue that logic and this coming from an adorable young girl that made me a Rutgers fan made out of paper and a Popsicle stick. As adults, we look at the whole situation, the challenges, the consequences and the responsibilities. She sees it as a nightly sleep over, movies and popcorn and outings to the zoo. That sounds like the perfect relationship to me.
Because I see the world as a daily challenge, am I to say this idea of marriage because they want their mother to be happy and she knows a fun, caring guy is wrong? I don’t think so. I think she is right but as much as women and men at metaphysically different, so are children and adults.
It’s a shame. How often to we wish to do it all again. For some the pursuit of eternal youth is a deeply rooted fear of death but the thought of a life of simplicity and innocence forever is utopia.
I want to play on the swings and look up at the clouds
I want to play hide and seek all around the neighborhood
I want to play baseball until it is so dark we can’t even see the ball
I want to imagine being in space and touching all the stars
I want to hug a complete stranger just because they look sad
I want cuddle with all my friends in the middle of the day
I want to sing songs while skipping down the road
I want to make believe I am someone different
I want to be your friend because you are silly
I want to kiss you and then giggle about it
I want to slide down the mountain in the snow and scream just because
I want to build a tree house and make it my mansion where I will live forever
I want own the beach and become the King and make it free for everyone
I want a puppy that will be my best friend
I want to wear 500 silly bands and cover my hand with the rainbow
I want to touch a rainbow
Who is to say we cannot return to innocence. We are adults. We are well educated individuals that has experienced all of life’s offerings and can now see the difference between right and wrong. Morals have been fortified and a foundation is set. If we embrace the memories of childhood, know good and bad, why then is there still prejudice, hate, greed, gluttony and all the other morally corrupt feelings and behaviors around us?
In the eyes of a child, “I don’t know”
I know I am wishing for something that is unattainable and no single person can define a movement that will set the bricks for this new world but so many have tried
John Lennon with his words
Martin Luther King Jr. with his vision
Ghandhi with his presence
Jim Henson with his Muppets
Abraham Lincoln with his fortitude for equality
Steve Jobs with his brilliance
Bill Gates with his generosity
Mother Theresa with her heart
Princess Diana with her beauty and warmth
All shared a vision of a better world and took the next step to allow their hearts to guide their path.
We all have the capability to be the children we once knew. We all have the strength to make this world a better place. I am not looking to change everyone, but asking you to look inside yourself, find that inner child that never left and start seeing the world the way it was meant to be.
I had an opportunity to watch a remarkable new show on Fox, Touch featuring Kiefer Sutherland. Aside from an astonishing concept that has global appeal and an emotional message of connection, this show hit the heart of some of my deepest thoughts.
As an addictive, 24 fan, my expectations were high for Kiefer Sutherland and I was not let down. Driven by the concept that we send millions of texts, connect through email, social networks and mobile tracking, the show derives that though millions of interactions occur around the world each and every day, how often to truly touch one another. Think very hard about that statement and see if you can comfortably address that question?
Through human interaction, decisions are made and actions are taken that have a true domino effect. Though in hindsight, one action may influence another event, but it truly can effect hundreds of other simultaneous or future events. We are all unconditionally connected to each and every thing. Is it coincidence, fate or another power that controls our actions?
The depth of life is a wondrous miracle. Human, animals, plants, chemicals, vitamins, all cohesively living in co-habitation on this planet with the goals of sharing resources to continue the gift of life.
Do we see this? For many, life is a bubble. It is a comfortable place of our core surroundings where we understand the actions, the behaviors and the people and places that collectively create our own personal utopia. This is our circle of life. For some it is a single town, a cave, a state, a country, a family or complete isolation. The truth is, the connection of life is endless. We can never truly isolate our being. No matter what choices we make, there are consequences on others. We are all responsibility for something much greater than ourselves.
There are moments in my life that I see things in a much greater light, but not often enough. It is almost a shame that a show needs to remind me, but then again, I saw the show because another connection reminded me.
How often do we hear people talk about “paying it forward” or “karma will come back to bite you in the ass”. In theory, every calculated and un-calculated event that is possible will happen at some time. When you allow yourself to be free of expectations and see each day of your life as something wonderful, almost magical, you will start to see things differently than you ever have before.
Lay in a dark room or a dark field and listen. Listen very closely. You will hear sounds that have previously been blocked from your sub-conscious. You will hear insects, birds and even wind but if you listen very very closely, you will hear the air and the sounds of darkness. There is so much more we chose not to see and hear. Imagine you could hear and see everything that is right before your eyes.
It would be a life experience full of the greatest wonder you could ever imagine.
Creation: The action or process of bringing something into existence
“What can you ever really know of other people’s souls – of their temptations, their opportunities, their struggles? One soul in the whole creation you do know: and it is the only one whose fate is placed in your hands” – C. S. Lewis
We are often told through childhood and grade school that the opposite of death is life when in fact the true opposite of death is creation. Creation is the innovator of all humanity. It is the ability to take nothing more than a thought or concept and through the remarkable ability of our minds make something amazing. It is this gift that each of us possesses that allows us to not only evolve as a society but surround ourselves with wonder.
As we embark on a new year, we look at January as a symbolic gesture of a fresh start. Through the power of resolutions, we are able to relinquish our misfortunes from the previous year and start over. The ability to journey down a road undiscovered and take on the risk of a better tomorrow is quite a unique phenomenon.
What differentiates greatness from mediocrity, is the ability to take conscious thought and implement an action plan.
Do not make this a year of creation, make it a lifetime.
The creation of life is only the beginning. It is the gateway to all potential. Don’t wait, don’t hesitate, don’t resolve to make a difference. We are on the edge of complete insanity as technology is manipulating our culture and bringing us to the brink of global mayhem. If there was ever a time to stand up and allow your imagination to become the next generational icon, this is it. Immortality is a state of being. It is the legacy you leave behind that will define you for generations to come.
We are all blessed with the gift of imagination and the knowledge tools to become the ambassadors of change. Look deep inside yourself and search for the answers that have been waiting to be unleashed. You and you alone are the bearers of creation.
Your time on this earth is now. Own it and set a path for greatness because you have this reverence chained up in your brain waiting to be released.
Don’t wait for the world to come to you. Take it by the hand and guide it down the eternal path of absolute spectacle and astonishment.
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” – George Bernard Shaw
There is a disturbance in the air.
One we cannot see; life we cannot breathe
We bow to the spirits hidden safely behind the stars that shine in the abyss of the eternal playground
It is in the anguish of fear that paranoia puts the soul to rest
In the screaming of the intense silence, we hear the voice of reason reflecting on the misery rotting in our minds.
Closing the vision, the iris burns
Surrounded by a fire that does not burn; a bullet that does not wound
It is an invisible force, so powerful; it pierces the essence of innocence and catapults all emotion to the edge of reality
How can such intensity provide a bed of restful comfort we rationalize to no avail?
With a hint of iridescence, the warmth of the sun illuminates the darkness and an echo of a new tomorrow is written in the clouds
With the pen of prophets and the calligraphy of angels, we read the words in anticipation…
“I just broke up with someone and the last thing she said to me was “You’ll never find anyone like me again!” I’m thinking, “I should hope not! If I don’t want you, why would I want someone like you.”
- Unknown
In the tradition of excellence in humor, last evening could be described as a thought provoking erotic sitcom build around an entire cast of supporting actors with the single goal of embracing every element of life and performing a show led by the ringmaster himself.
It was an night of doppelgangers, lesbians, strippers, strangers, kissing, laughing and a bit of warmth created in a land penned by Lewis Carroll.
It was one of those evenings after a bit of E Entertainment news you wish you could have lived. The glamorous life of a celebrity with all the perks, attention and outrageous events transpiring right before your eyes as the center of life and for just a moment it becomes you. This was one of those nights.
Now we will archive it away and move on to many more subjects of wonder and intrigue as we dig into Pandora’s box of life’s many great wonders and humorous anecdotes.
I was recently talking to a friend who had an ex boyfriend who was just focused on image that he would buy an expensive pair of designer jeans and then sand them down personally to fit the exact specs of an ad on page 57 of GQ that month. It made me think that he may be the same person I saw at the mall stopping at every mirror and making the proper adjustments. Coming from a jeans and tee-shirt man, maybe my thoughts on fashion are flawed. Of course I believe a good look is important as it represents a strong sense of responsibility, creativity, and a savvy sense of fashion.
There was a zombie crawl downtown. It is that time of the year when teens and adults raid thrift shops and purchase tacky dresses and suits only to cover them in fake blood and guts. At least, let’s hope they were fake. There are some that take the season of ghosts and goblins very seriously. Everywhere I turned, I smiled at the sea of dead walking, limping and later in the evening crawling along the streets. Funny how some people put more effort into the appearance of being dead than actually living.
Children are totally funny. On a crazy mad cap Saturday night, I watched Gnomeo and Juliet with a good friend and her two children. The same two children that showed me their favorite stuffed animals and then began to repeatedly hit me in the head with them, over and over and over again. But in the end I got to wear the pink blanket cape. Then randomly, during a tense scene, they would leave their couch, run over, jump on me and then snuggle up. Don’t you wish adults could just be that way.
Buffets are funny. They are cheap, they offer tremendous selection and give the customer the freedom to decide. But, we have an obesity issue, health care costs are rising and many individuals have difficulty with will power. A little bit funny, wouldn’t you say.
The new IPhone 4S cost 169.71 according to a report released this week in the Wall Street Journal. The cost was broken down into components, parts and labor. Labor: $8. Priceless.
Every Saturday and Sunday there is a ritual during football season, drink, drink, eat food with lots of dips and then drink. Multi-million dollar athletes that work out, maintain a strict diet and the pulverize each other each week fill the airwaves. That is 2100 athletes in the NFL and about 8000 in college. While 10,000 fit athletes give their heart and soul, over 100 million sit on about butts and fall into a pit of laziness and obesity.
“I’m 16, and a boy and I remember hearing great old singers and groups like Dixie Chicks, Sara Evans, LeeAnn Rimes, Lee Ann Womack, Alan Jackson, Diamond Rio, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Randy Travis and many other songs by these great country music makers! These songs bring back the best memories when I wasn’t in school yet and had all the time in the world to do what I wanted to do outside in the yard or outside in general. Now I’m a sophomore and I can’t slow down and enjoy my life like I used to.”
elmerlandon – YouTube
WTF
There is my self imposed morning rant. It is officially out of my system and now we can move on with clarity and a sense of relaxation. After all, without my first cup of coffee, the thought of a highly energized and distressed commentary just does not make logical sense.
Just to get this out in the open, I was watching the video “Cowboy Take Me Away” by the Dixie Chicks last night. YouTube is single greatest psychological tool for stream of consciousness flow study on the internet. The idea of going from a biographical video on the history of First Avenue Club in Minneapolis to the Dixie Chicks blows my mind away, but somehow it got there.
I am not usually one to scroll down to the comments, but this one was rather long and caught my eye with the detail of the historical reference points. I wasn’t immediately saddened by what I read until I took it in a second time and gave myself a few seconds to process it. The realization that a sixteen year old already feels overwhelmed with daily life and that the carefree lifestyle of being a child fraught with innocence is gone was discerning.
Playing hide and seek in the backyard, laying on a hammock, having coffee or lemonade with your parents on the back patio, or kissing your first crush under a tree are only activities reserved until you hit the ripe old age of twelve. I think not. That is a right, a privilege and a freedom earned by all who have been given the right to breathe.
I know what you are thinking, why such a deep commentary based on one isolated comment? In my mind that one isolated comment is the voice of a generation. A generation of thinkers and observers so overwhelmed with “global insanity” that is at our finger tips 24 hours a day that we lose site of the simple truths right before our eyes.
The real news in the world is the laughter of children in the park, dogs running around the yard, youth soccer programs practicing on a Saturday morning, hikes through the mountainous regions with the sun rising to guide our paths, the music of the songbirds while feeling the chill of the morning dew, a canoe trip down the river or a romantic walk by the ocean. That is the news we all need to live for. It is the morning, afternoon and evening of each day of our lives.
Instead we are showered with civil wars 13,000 miles away, terrorist bombings, economic turmoil, political unrest, corruption and greed, poverty and disease in Africa, smart phones and computer dominance and that is just the first page of the Wall Street Journal. Where does all this madness stop? This isn’t just today but every day and with each passing day, the over load of news just keeps piling up until we have a massive stock pile and no where to haul it.
What is the answer? I am not here to provide an answer, but we need to address that comment. This anonymous YouTube user is the voice for what so many of us are thinking. We should not be afraid to speak up and share these sentiments because if we don’t take back our own lives, we cannot even begin to help others.
It only takes one voice, one dream, one open expression of love and community to open the eyes of millions and create a revolution. We need a revolution of peace to bring life back to you and I and begin to find those days when we were ten and life was only about the moments right before our adventurous eyes.
“The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live.”
- Leo F. Buscaglia
How many times in our lives do we start over?
A marriage
A divorce
A life altering event
A new job
A new home
It seems we need life to guide us into a state of change or motivation instead of letting our emotions, passions and glimpse of irrationality lead us to the true happiness we seek.
How many of us can wake up each morning, look at the life we have chosen and say we are truly happy. I sense many are comfortable with a family, financial stability, routine, security and very limited risk. Is this a safe harbor or true happiness? Yes, of course it is safe, but not where you saw yourself when you were ten years old thinking about the future.
As a child, you are at the peak of imagination and with clarity and vision, you dream the impossible and somewhere along the line life hits you over the head and puts you in a box. When were you planning on breaking those four walls and racing for those dreams?
For most, never. Unfortunately, retirement may be the day you open your eyes and look back and what you could have done and thus a sense of self imposed sorrow runs through your body. For others, there needs to be an event, a moment, a seemingly global tragedy to awaken the senses.
Take a few minutes with a sheet of paper and pen and write down all the things you thought about being as you started growing up.
Here is my list:
Astronaut – The unparalleled feeling of being thrust through the atmosphere to the great abyss and for a few days experiencing absolute freedom while still being paralyzed by the fear of the great abyss.
NBA Basketball Player – I had a great jump shot and I was quick. Not as quick to my right but unfortunately genes did not bless me with a 6’8″ stature. I was given the opportunity to coach 10 and 12 year old girls and boys for a number of years and to this day I am still friends with a few and I am thankful for that.
Actor – Not just an actor but I wanted the whole package; worldwide stardom. Then again with the rise of MTV, I was OK with rock star. I can’t sing and acting, maybe a little community theater. I can’t even fake sing. If there was a Halloween costume for an anti-singer, I could pull it off with my voice alone.
Cowboy – I grew up in Anywhere USA quiet suburban land. It was the American Dream….In the 1950′s. My town had one major newsworthy crime in about 30 years. After a report on Wyoming and a stint of horseback riding in Pennsylvania, I knew. I was meant for the open trail. The dust in my face and the sun being my guide. What a thought. I’m not quite John Wayne so for now, I have to stick with True Grit.
Lawyer – I thought I could change the world. I interned for a Superior Court Judge and the thrill I got each morning, doing case summaries and research knowing I was taking part in justice. I knew that decisions I made would help the judge balance fairness for all that walked into her courtroom. I witnessed domestic violence cases, theft, deception and hatred and realized the courts couldn’t correct the system. Only people can look in the mirror and take responsibility for their actions.
History Teacher – I don’t know about you, but seeing the glimmer in a students eyes; you know the one that expresses them deep in thought and truly engaged in the education process it is priceless. We as humans are a sponge with the capability of continuous learning. Every day is a chance at educational growth and knowledge expressiveness. We are blessed with the give of intelligence. It is a sexy gift we should all strive to never give up. At the end of the day, I could transfer some of my expertise to a group that wants to absorb and further educate others. It is noble, fulfilling, warm and accomplished. It doesn’t pay well and it can wear you out faster than it can help you grow. Another dream by the waste side.
Writer – Writing is therapy. Some see it as a gift, a birth rite, a sign from the heavens. Writing is the true expression of all emotion bottled up and then released in an explosion of color and emotion. It is the novelists, historians, poets, musicians and journalists that not only record history, but help us understand ourselves. Writers help you see what you are afraid to see. Writers bring out a surge in your senses that are hidden away. Writers have a duty to themselves and their readers. They take your hand and guide you to another place. Maybe a fantasy land or a personal memory but they open the door to the imagination of everything. Wait, I suppose I am a writer. But am I an unconditional committed writer??
All of us have a lifetime to create a legacy. Unfortunately, aside from a website that tells you when you will die, we do not know our expiration date. Now is the time.
What makes a legacy? Hmmmm
1. Live each day of your life with purpose and never stop dreaming. Live each day with happiness, sadness, love, respect, and admiration for your chance to not only live a complete day but to see another sunrise.
2. Love your family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, animals and strangers. We are all part of the this miraculous circle of life. We share this planet and though there are some rules and regulations, it is the freedom to take risk and find personal greatness that will write the final chapter of your legacy.
3. Teach the next generation to release the chains of society and lead your own path.
4. Challenge yourself. When you feel the odds are overwhelming or the obstacles too large to overcome, challenge your senses and let your dreams become a reality.
Don’t wait for a recession, an attack, a tragic crime or the safety of a picket fence to hold you back. This is not applicable to all. Many of us are so complete right now and it is a feeling of wonder. If you are on a path of robotic melancholy with a destination already determined; stop walking. You have the chance to turn around and start a new journey.
In the infinite wisdom of now, we are trapped in a moment kidnapped by the tools of our own hands.
Victims of the search for truth
Powerless to the agony of love
Swept away by the waves of time drowning our dreams with the reality we store in conscious thought
It’s hard to breath now
Suffocated by moments overwhelmed by man
We are robots in our skin; flesh eating metal
In the truest of words; arrested by emotions; saturated by potential
In an ironic twist, success is our greatest failure and insanity is the only calming agent
Now I look to a tree in its prominence and desire to grow
It is alone, firm to its roots and a shelter to those that pass under.
A protector to the almighty sun; a seasonal reminder of the passing of life and death
Renewed in warm, it returns for another season, another lesson
Close your eyes and bask as an exchange of energy revives the senses numb to the wasteland we call now
I recently heard someone say “You are lucky to be alive”.
I then spent a great deal of time thinking about that comment. It wasn’t the first time I had ever heard it, but the first time I really thought through the meaning behind the phrase. An optimist and pessimist could spend hours or days debating the merits of those words until they turn blue, shoot each other or hug it out.
My first reaction was “why?”
Why are we lucky to be alive? We are all going to die. Whether we believe in an afterlife, a spiritual resting place or higher power above our earthly knowledge, it is unknown. It is a realm of belief vs. scientific evidence. I am by no means questioning the validity of those that awake the dead and connect with the afterlife. We are all open minded to the possibility of the unknown.
As an infant, we are awakened to all things new. Our curiosity peaks and life experiences are new each and every day. As we age and gain further understanding of life, decisions become more difficult and moving forward in age, pain, suffering, hardship, disease, tragedy and loss become part of our expected routines. Then we pass away leaving loved ones to mourn for us as we take the next step to eternal rest.
That being said, “Why are we lucky to be alive?”
Humanity itself has given the prosecution due evidence to take the negative stance on this debate. National disasters are wiping away entire communities, children and infants are dying of disease before they have a chance to experience life, poverty is forcing families to live like rats on the street, greed, religion and hatred are provoking violence around the world, population increases are threatening the health and well being of the environment and technology is limiting our ability to emotionally connect with
each other.
Are you wondering when this is going to turn positive? Give me a moment, I promise it will.
This has been an extraordinary period in our lives with the Japanese Tsunami, Earthquake in Haiti, Hurricane Irene, Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, global flooding, Chilean Earthquake and flooding, and the West Virginia mining explosion. All deeply tragic and all exploited heavily by the media.
Then I took a step back, looked at my own life and looked at things the news doesn’t seem to want to emphasis. I thought about the smell of the morning dew that reminds me of home and curling under my warm down comforter on a cold winter night. A saw the wonder of two dolphins playing in the ocean and giving all of us a show for free.
I cannot forget the look on my father’s face when he drops me off at the airport, gives me the slight stare of thankfulness and sadness for seeing me go and then hugging me like men are supposed to hug.
Do you know the feeling when you are kissed gently on the neck and then hold each other so close your bodies come together as one. It is one of the safest feelings you can imagine and one that often cannot be put properly into words. It is that feeling that nothing can happen to harm you and that the knowledge of having each other is the only thing you need in the world.
When a warm summer rain falls on you at the beach and the waves crash into the sand showing its power and beauty with each raise of the surf. The water warms your pores with earth’s shower and you are cleansed and refreshed.
I cannot sing. I cannot play guitar. I can’t even pretend to carry a tune, but I will say this, if you give me a song that moves my soul, my acoustic guitar and a glass of wine, I am in a state of utopia that nothing can bring me down from.
Not a day goes by without thoughts of my mother. For many years, I questioned everything. Why was she taken from us? We needed her. This wasn’t fair. This hit a point of hatred, but for what or who I didn’t even know. Over time, I have reflected less on losing her and more on what she offered me and how she shaped who I have become. Those are the thoughts of fondness that I now think about each day I remember her.
Last month, I witnessed the birth of a baby. I was taken back by the reality of a new life on this earth but not the deepest impact on me personally. It was the candid emotional release from the new mom and dad, the purity of the smiles and tears from family and friends and the unity the room brought in celebration. I took a step back and became an observer to this miracle. How could such a small being who cannot even speak, reach out and help grown adults release their most inner emotions. If a seven pound baby can bring a whole room to the highest levels of happiness in a brief moment, anything is possible.
Watch your dad play Darth Vader sometime and take on three children at once….You may suddenly feel a warm spot in your heart.
Are we lucky to be alive?
Yes
More than you know..
Look around you and see how lucky you are….
